This invention relates to deflector shields for motor vehicles, and more specifically to air streamlining deflector shields designed to use the air currents directed by the shields to facilitate the flow of the air around and over the windshields of motor vehicles.
To date many efforts have been made to improve the efficiencies of motor vehicles. Most current design efforts are towards more efficient engines and low drag coeficient body designs. In conjunction with this is the need to improve the efficiencies of vehicles already produced with the use of add on accessories. Some of these efforts which are designed to deflect air to protect the integrity of the windshield are reflected in the prior issued U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,656 to Alian Jean-Marie Clenet and U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,587 to Michael A. Giallourakis which are mounted on the top surface of the hood of a vehicle behind the leading edge of the hood but which do not direct the air in a complete and specific enough manner around and over the windshield area of the vehicle and which are not designed to be self-supporting transversely above the surface of the hood, but rather are intended to be placed or mounted directly on the surface of the hood.
Other related patents on bug and gravel type shields mounted on the leading edge of a vehicle are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,153,129 to Patrick J. Redmond and U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,191 to Robert D. Williams and James Mastin. These shields are made in a manner where a horizontal channel is fabricated in such a way as to receive the lower edge of the shield and then attaching brackets are secured to the horizontal channel so the assembled piece can then be attached to the vehicle, but these shields do not embody the simplicity and ease of manufacture of a complete one piece construction.
Another patent of a similar configuration and mounting location illustrates a shield made of a one piece construction such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,522 to Douglas L. Bonstead, Ronald D. Mastin, and Carl W. Langren in which is disclosed an extruded shield which is formed so as to be thicker over a horizontal portion of the shields base so the shield can be mounted without the use of a separate horizontal channel, but this shield directs the air in a very general direction rather than specifically towards the outer surface of the vehicle surrounding the windshield.
Another shield of mention is the one by Thomas I. McDaniel disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,013 in which he discloses a shield formed so as to have four angled surfaces on the face of the shield causing the shield to deflect air upwardly and downwardly as well as to the outer sides thereof, but this shield is not intended to be specifically placed behind the leading edge of the hood of a vehicle.
In addition to the foregoing U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,319 to John H. Ziegler G. R. Oakley, and Daniel F. Krause discloses a deflector shield which is part of a system, but which can also be used alone. The shield is described as being a molded wrap-around type which is designed to attach with brackets to the exposed side edge as well as the top leading edge of the vehicle, but this design only allows the shield to use the air passing over the shields upper surface, thereby not allowing the dynamic effect of a shield which allows air to pass under as well as over the surface of the shield. There are many other Patents that relate to the aforementioned types of deflector shields.
Other related prior art is mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,623 to Joseph E. McKeen wherein is disclosed that air from a nozzle system is directed across the front contour of a vehicle up across the windshield tending to flow back along the vehicles roof, thereby influencing the air flow over the windshield. This use requires a forced air nozzle system to be built into or aftermarket installed in the vehicle which could be a considerable expense and does not embody the ease of mounting and dismounting, particularly without the use of tools, or the simplicity of use of a single piece shield with the mounting apparatus being an integral part of the body of the shield.
Whatever the precise advantages, features, and merits of the aforementioned inventions none of them fulfills or achieves the desired intent as well as the present invention. It should also be noted that there are vehicles for which most of the previously described inventions are not at all particularly suited like the Volkswagen Beetle, which was the prototype vehicle for the present invention.
It has now been discovered that a single piece of thermoplastic material can comprise a shield that can cross the hood of a vehicle, and can be supported to mounting locations on the lateral edges of the hood by shape and construction of the shield, thereby not requiring attachments to the top surface or the leading edge of the hood. Hence avoiding marring of the top surface of the hood, and also allowing air to pass under as well as over the surface of the shield. Thereby producing much stronger and more directing airflow to deflect debris as well as to streamline the airflow over and around the windshield of the vehicle.
Hereinafter will be disclosed the means and methods of accomplishing the primary objectives of the invention as well as others which will be apparent in the detailed description that follows.